Switch operating means



July 11, 1933. c s HADDLESAY 1,917,837

SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed April 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1933- c.s. HADDLESAY SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed April 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented July 11, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES S. HADDLESAY, OF ELMHUE'ST,ILLINOIQ SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Application filed April 6,

This invention relates to switch operating mechanism. v

,One of the objects of this invention is to provide a means foractuating track switches electrically and manually, the two COlltiOlf-Jbeing capable of conjoint or separate use.

A further object is to automatically loc the switch in both of itspositions.

-A further object is to provii'le a n'lcsns for operating the switchmamially when the source of power, electric or otherwise, tails.

Further objects will appear from the description and claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the operating mechanism with the switch inposition to direct the cars or trolleys into the side track;

il ig. 2 is an elevation, from the left in Fi 1, showing the operatingmechanism;

Fig. 3 is a bottom floor view of the operating mechanism with the switchthrown in straight-line position; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the hand ope ating mechanism with the handlethrown to one side. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail, these show a switch constructionfor an overhead, suspended load, monorail conveyor system comprising anoscillatable car-deflecting s'witchmember 1, a rock arm 2 for operatingsaid switch member 1, locking means 3 for locking the. rock arm in twodifferent positions to hold the switch member 1 in two di'lferentpositions, a plunger 4 n'iovable back and forth for operating said rockarm 2, said plunger having provisions for releasing said locking meansfrom both locking positions (and having a lost-motion connection with ,1said rock arm enabling the lock-releasing movement tobe effected withoutmoving toe rock arm), a solenoid construction for op crating saidplunger 4;-comprising a coil 5 for moving the'plunger in one directionand another coil '6 for moving the plunger in the opposite direction,and amanually-operable lever 7 for operating said plunger tocause theoperation of the rock arm having a lostmotion connection with respect tosaid plun er to enable the plunger to be actuated by the 1331. SerialNo. 52'?,9l8.

solenoid without actuating the manually-operable lever 7.

Before describing in further detail the va rious parts of the apparatus,I will briefly outline the operation.

I will first describe the operation by means of the solenoid 8. Thecircuits for the two coils of the solenoid may be controlled in anysuitable manner, one manner of control bein disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 526,962, filed April 1, 1931. Assuming that acar is approaching the switch from the right (F 1) and that the armature9 ot the solenoid is in the dotted-line, lefthand position of Fig. 1 (inwhich case the car-deflecting switch member 1 would be the straightawaytrack), the right-haml itehlhrowing coil. 6 will be energized,

using the armature 9 to move from the dotted-line to the full-lineposition.

luring the first part of this movement. the rock arm 2 will not be movedbecause oi the lost-motion connection between tl e plunger 4; and rockarm. The latch or loci: -3, however, will be moved to unlocking positionby means of the sloping cam surface 10 engaging the projection 11 on thepivoted lock member. Soon after the lock 3 has been moved to anunlocking position, the lost motion between the plunger 4 and rock arm 2will be taken up and thereafter a continued movement of the plunge willcause movement of the rock arm, thus throwing the carde'liecting switchmember 1 to a position which will cause the car to move ofi' alon hebranch traclr. This contim'ied. movement oi the plunger l also permitsthe latch or loci-z member 3 to drop in behind the end 01" the rocl: arm2, thus locking the rock arm and switch member in their positions.

After the has passed the switch, the left-hand switch-restoring coil 5may be energized (the right-hand coil having gn'cvi ously beendccnergised). This causes the plunger member t to move to the left, re-

storing the parts to their original position. During the first part ofthe left-hand movement of the plunger, there will be no movement of theroc arm 2 because-of the lostmotion connection between the plunger androck arm. During this operation, the lock 3 will be moved to releasingposition by the sloping face 12 of the cam. Soon after the lock 3 ismoved to releasing position, the lost motion between the plunger androck arm will be taken up so that a continued movement of the plungerwill cause movement of the rock arm, thus throwing the switch menu ber 1back to the straightaway position. During this linal movement of theplunger 4, the cam face 12 will permit the lock 3 to move again tolockin g position under the action of the coil tension spring 13.

I will now describe the manual operation of the switch, which may bedesirable under certain circumstances. This is effected by means of thehand lever 7 which has a lost motion connection with the plunger 4. Thislost-motion connection is effected by means of a U-shaped member 14secured to the handle 7, having a pair of upwardly-extending flanges 15embracing between them a pin 16 extending downwardly from the plunger 4.The spacing of the flanges 15 on the U-shaped member 14 is such that theplunger 4 can have its full movement under the action of the solenoid 8without moving the manuallyoperable handle 7 from its mid-position inwhich it is normally held by means of a pair of coil compression springs17. However, if it is desired to operate the plunger manually, it isnecessary only to move the handle 7 from its mid-position to one or theother of the two dotted-line positions shown in Fig. 3. This movement ofthe handle will, of course, move the plunger 4 and cause the movement ofthe car-deflecting switch member l in the same manner in which itsoperation is effected by means of the solenoid. After the plunger andswitch member have been shifted, as described above, the handle 7 may bereleased, permitting it to be restored to the mid-position shown indotted lines in Fig. 4 under the action of one or the other of the coilcompression spring 17. This restoring movement of the handle, however,will not release the switch lock or cause any movement of the plungerand switch member because of the lost motion permitted between thehandle and the plunger.

I will now describe in more detail certain features. The trackconstruction for the cars may be of the section shown in Fig. 2,comprising the lower passage 18 in which the wheels of the cars traveland the upper passage 19 provided for the conveyor chain, thisconstruction being described in more detail in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 521,494, filed March 10, 1931.

The oscillatable switch member 1 may be secured to oscillate with avertical rock shaft 20, to the upper end of which the oscillatable rockarm 2 is secured. This rock shaft 20 may be mounted in a suitablebearing 21 and may be vertically adjustable by means of the adjustingnuts 22 and 23 and may be tiltably adjustable in any direction by meansof the four radial adjustable screws 24 threaded in the fixed bushing orsleeve 25. The points of these screws have a bearing engagement with theupper end of the rock shaft, permitting the slight oscillatory movementrequired, and being cooperatively adjustable to eifeet any slighttilting adj ustmont which may be necessary in order to bring the switchmember 1 into proper cooperative relation with the track.

The locking or latching member 3 may be pivotally mounted at 26 on apost 27 secured to a supporting plate 28.

The plunger member 4 may be guided by means of a pin 29 extendingthrough a slot 30 in the outer end of the plunger.

The lost motion connection between the plunger 4 and rock arm 2 iseffected by means of a pin 31 secured to the rock arm and extending intoa slot 32 in the plunger. If desired, the plunger may have a pivotalconnection 33 with the armature 9 of the solenoid to enable the parts tooperate freely without undue friction.

The coil. compression springs 17 for restoring the manually operablelever 7 may be mounted on a rod or bolt 34 extending through the springsand having its ends socured to the upwardly-extending lugs 35 of anelongated bracket mounted on the supporting plate 28. Each of thesesprings is confined between one of the upwardly-extending lugs 35 and arectangular bearing washer 36, which is slidably mounted on thespring-supporting rod 34. The expanding movement of each spring 17 islimited by the engagement of its washer 36 with the wings 37 of achannel member secured to the central portion of the elongated bracket38. The coil compression springs 17 exert their effect on themanually-operable handle 7 through the intermediary of an invertedchannel member 39 pivotally secured at 40 to the underside of the handle7 and having downwardly extending flanges which straddle thespring-supporting rod 34. The ends of this inverted channel member 39are engageable by the spring-pressed rectangular washers 36 for thereturning movement of the handle. The handle 7 is mounted to rock freelyon the shaft 20 to which the rock arm 2 is secured.

It will be seen that the construction above described provides meanswhereby the switch may be operated either by power or by hand withoutinterference between the two controls. It will also be seen that bothwith the power operation and the manual operation, the switch issecurely locked in both of its adjusted positions.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art andit is desired, therefore, that my invention be limited'only by ido Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A switch constructionfor an overhead, suspended load, monorail conveyor system comprising anoscillatable car deflecting switch member, a rock arm for operating saidswitch member, locking means for locking therock arm in two differentpositions to hold the switch member in two different positions, aplunger movable back and forth for operating said rock arm, said plungerhaving provisions for releasing said locking means from both lockingpositions and having a lost-motion connection with said rock armenabling the lock-releasing movement to be effected without moving therock arm, a solenoid construction for operating said plunger comprisinga coil for moving the plunger in one direction and another coil formoving the plunger in the opposite direc tion, and a manually-operablelever for operating said plunger to cause the operation of the rock armhaving a lost-motion connection with respectto said plunger to enablethe plunger to be actuated by the solenoid without actuating themanually-operable lever. I

2. A switch construction for an overhead, suspended load, monorailconveyor system comprising an oscillatable car-deflecting switch member,a solenoid construction for operating said switch member comprising acoil for moving the switch member in one direction and another coil formoving the switch member in the opposite direction, and amanually-operable lever for operating said switch member to cause theoperation of the rock arm having a lost-motion connection with respectto said switch member to enable the switch member to be actuated by thesolenoid without actuating the manually-oper-- able lever.

3. A switch construction for an overhead, suspended load, monorailconveyor system comprising an oscillatable car-deflecting switch member,locking means for holding the switch member in two different positions,a plunger movable back and forth for operating said switch member, saidplunger having provisions for releasing said locking means from bothlocking positions and having a lost-motion provision enabling thelockreleasing movement to be effected without moving the switch member,a solenoid construction for operating said plunger comprising a coil formoving the plunger in one direction and another coil for moving theplunger in the opposite direction, and a manually-operable lever foroperating said plunger to cause the operation of the rock arm having alost-motion connection with respect to said plunger to enable theplunger to be actuated by the solenoid without actuating themanually-operable lever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES S. HADDLESAY.

